A three-dimensional printing system for fabricating or manufacturing a three-dimensional article includes a support plate, a resin containment structure, an actuator, a light engine, a support tray coupled to a movement mechanism, and a controller. The resin containment structure is supported by the support plate and includes a lower substructure that is moveably coupled to an upper substructure. The upper substructure defines an upper central opening that is closed by a transparent sheet. The lower substructure defines a lower central opening that is closed by a transparent plate. The actuator is affixed to the support plate and configured to rotate the upper substrate about the hinge between a (1) a raised position in which the transparent plate contacts and supports the transparent sheet and (2) a lowered position in which the transparent plate is out of contact with the transparent sheet.

A three-dimensional printing system for fabricating or manufacturing a three-dimensional article includes a support plate, a resin containment structure, an actuator, a light engine, a support tray coupled to a movement mechanism, and a controller. The resin containment structure is supported by the support plate and includes a lower substructure that is moveably coupled to an upper substructure. The upper substructure defines an upper central opening that is closed by a transparent sheet. The lower substructure defines a lower central opening that is closed by a transparent plate. The actuator is affixed to the support plate and configured to rotate the upper substrate about the hinge between a (1) a raised position in which the transparent plate contacts and supports the transparent sheet and (2) a lowered position in which the transparent plate is out of contact with the transparent sheet.

The present disclosure provides various aspects for mobile and automated processing utilizing additive manufacturing and the methods for their utilization. In some examples, discrete material formats for use in an Additive Manufacturing Array are disclosed. Methods of using the additive manufacturing robot, discrete materials, and the roadways produced with the additive manufacturing robot are provided. A combined function Addibot, with Additive Manufacturing capabilities, cleaning capabilities, line painting capabilities and seal coating capabilities which may be used in concert with a camera equipped aerial drone for design and characterization function is described.

A printing device (106) includes a laser source and a LCOS-SLM (Liquid Crystal on Silicon Spatial Light Modulator). The printing device generates a laser control signal and a LCOS-SLM control signal. The laser source (110) generates a plurality of incident laser beams based on the laser control signal. The LCOS-SLM (112) receives the plurality of incident laser beams, modulates the plurality of incident laser beams based on the LCOS-SLM control signal to generate a plurality of holographic wavefronts (214,216) from the modulated plurality of incident laser beams. Each holographic wavefront forms at least one corresponding focal point. The printing device cures a surface layer or sub-surface layer (406) of a target material (206) at interference points of focal points of the plurality of holographic wavefronts. The cured surface layer of the target material forms a three-dimensional printed content.

A printing device (106) includes a laser source and a LCOS-SLM (Liquid Crystal on Silicon Spatial Light Modulator). The printing device generates a laser control signal and a LCOS-SLM control signal. The laser source (110) generates a plurality of incident laser beams based on the laser control signal. The LCOS-SLM (112) receives the plurality of incident laser beams, modulates the plurality of incident laser beams based on the LCOS-SLM control signal to generate a plurality of holographic wavefronts (214,216) from the modulated plurality of incident laser beams. Each holographic wavefront forms at least one corresponding focal point. The printing device cures a surface layer or sub-surface layer (406) of a target material (206) at interference points of focal points of the plurality of holographic wavefronts. The cured surface layer of the target material forms a three-dimensional printed content.

A system and method for autonomously creating subsequent physical objects using a 3-dimensional printer. The system includes a build platform which is ejected with a printed object adhered to it, with a replenishing mechanism to place a blank build platform into the expected build area such that printing a subsequent object may occur autonomously. The replenishing mechanism may draw from a plurality of stored blank build platforms which may be reusable in some embodiments and disposable in others.

A system and method for autonomously creating subsequent physical objects using a 3-dimensional printer. The system includes a build platform which is ejected with a printed object adhered to it, with a replenishing mechanism to place a blank build platform into the expected build area such that printing a subsequent object may occur autonomously. The replenishing mechanism may draw from a plurality of stored blank build platforms which may be reusable in some embodiments and disposable in others.

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a build material volume transportation device is described. The build material volume transportation device includes a shuttle to transport a build material volume. The shuttle includes an opening therethrough to receive the build material volume. The build material volume transportation device also includes a build tray to raise the build volume into the opening in the shuttle. The build material volume transportation device further includes a latch assembly to releasably secure the build tray to the shuttle. A tip of the latch assembly extends to interface with the aperture to secure the build tray to the shuttle. The tip rotates independently of the piston.

A plasticizing device includes a drive motor, a flat screw, a barrel, a heater, a cooler, and a controller, wherein the controller executes a plasticizing step of controlling the drive motor, the heater, and the cooler to plasticize a material fed between the flat screw and the barrel to make the material plasticized outflow from a communication hole, a stopping step of stopping at least the drive motor and the heater after executing the plasticizing step to stop the plasticizing step, and a start-up step of starting up the heater and controlling at least one of the heater and the cooler so that the outer circumference of the flat screw becomes at a temperature no higher than in the plasticizing step when resuming the plasticizing step after a predetermined time elapses from the stopping step.

A plasticizing device includes a drive motor, a flat screw, a barrel, a heater, a cooler, and a controller, wherein the controller executes a plasticizing step of controlling the drive motor, the heater, and the cooler to plasticize a material fed between the flat screw and the barrel to make the material plasticized outflow from a communication hole, a stopping step of stopping at least the drive motor and the heater after executing the plasticizing step to stop the plasticizing step, and a start-up step of starting up the heater and controlling at least one of the heater and the cooler so that the outer circumference of the flat screw becomes at a temperature no higher than in the plasticizing step when resuming the plasticizing step after a predetermined time elapses from the stopping step.